Showing items 1 - 12 of 12

Your selections:

Effect of social capital and information acquisition on the adoption and benefits of conservation agriculture among cassava and maize smallholder farmers in South-West Nigeria

  • Authors: Olawuyi, Seyi Olalekan
  • Date: 2019
  • Subjects: Agricultural conservation , Sustainable agriculture , Farms, Small
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/15200 , vital:40200
  • Description: Sustainable economic growth and development in developing economy like Nigeria is achievable through the agricultural sector and sub-sectors which are concentrated in rural areas. Rural areas represent a home to majority (about 75%) of the households practicing farming for family sustenance and/or to earn income from the sales of agricultural products (Oyakhilomen and Zibah, 2014). In addition to the persistent use of traditional farming practices, these rural farming households cultivate crops varieties that are low-yielding on small and scattered farmland holdings (smallholder farmers) (Oyakhilomen and Zibah, 2014). This act depletes the soil organic matter with devastating consequences on production output, income generation as well as the ecosystem. Similarly, non-access to agricultural credit and limited technical knowhow are parts of the challenges that are facing the development of farming activities in subSaharan Africa, including Nigeria (Kassie, Pender, Yesuf, Köhlin, Bluffstone and Mulugeta, 2008). These challenges call for holistic interventions such as conservative agricultural practices; which are sustainable, promote safe environment and ultimately increase production output.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2019

A critical analysis of the role of aid agencies in the Kenyan land policy process (1999-2012)

  • Authors: Mrewa, Bernard
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/7634 , vital:21280
  • Description: Land is central to development policies globally, including with reference to Africa, but the land reform strategies and modalities often pursued by international development agencies are controversial in terms of their potential and actual impact on questions of land rights, possession and access as well as poverty reduction and economic development. In the current era of global neoliberal restructuring, as indeed in the past, international aid agencies (or donors) have identified the formation and reform of national land policies in Africa and elsewhere as crucial in terms of facilitating systematic and successful land reform measures. A practical example of this is the case of Kenya. In this context, this thesis seeks to critically analyse the role of development (or aid) agencies in the land policy-making process in Kenya from 1999 to 2012. In this regard, the thesis does not focus on the product of the policy process (i.e. the land policy) let alone the implementation or impact of the policy. Rather, it treats the policy process itself as worthy of investigation and analysis, and thus delves into the policy processes leading to the product (the Kenyan land policy). The involvement of aid agencies in land policy in Kenya is part of a broader pattern of development cooperation with the Kenyan state over an extended period of time. Despite this long-term integration of Kenya in the international development system and the direct and pronounced involvement of global donors in the land policy-making process in Kenya, land policy outcomes in Kenya cannot be reduced simply to the influence and power of these donors. While the thesis analyses in detail the various forms of donor input into the land policy process, it also highlights that other (Kenyan-based) actors were centrally involved in the land policy formation process in the country, including state bureaucrats and national politicians but also a diverse range of interests embedded in civil society. Development agency involvement in the land policy process can be only understood in relation to these other actors. In Kenya, donors in fact interacted with these other actors in complex and fluctuating ways as they sought to maximise their influence in the national land policy process, and the thesis examines these dynamic and sometimes turbulent social and political interactions. These interactions were further complicated in Kenya because of the highly-ethnicised character of national politics and the fact that the constitution-review process was taking place at the same time as the land policy process. Together, this meant that the land policy process at nation-state level in Kenya became both a focus and site of struggle between state and non-state actors (including donors).
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

Characterization of maize biochars, their effects on soils, early maize growth and effectiveness of fertilizers

  • Authors: Pinkson, Sibusisiwe
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Soil fertility Crops and soils Biochar
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/9974 , vital:35211
  • Description: The use of maize biochar in smallholder cropping systems of the Eastern Cape (EC) Province could be a strategy that helps mitigate a common challenge such as poor soil fertility in maize productivity. The current study investigated the following: a) comparison of maize biochars derived from the drum and pit kiln pyrolytic systems as soil amendments; b) effects of maize biochars on soil acidity and extractable nutrients of three arable soil types of the EC Province; c) effects of maize biochars on early maize growth and nutrient uptake; d) effect of maize biochars on the effectiveness of organic and inorganic fertilizers for improved soil quality and maize growth. Maize biochars were produced from two pyrolytic systems namely the pit and drum kiln, each maize biochar type was analyzed with respect to its chemical and physical characteristics to investigate its potential as a soil amendment. Both pyrolytic systems were monitored to identify optimum pyrolytic temperatures reached by each process. Observed peak pyrolytic temperature were 300 °C and 500 °C for the pit and drum pyrolytic systems respectively. Both maize biochar types were alkaline in nature with pH values of 8.36 (H2O) and 7.45 (KCl) and 8.95 (H2O) and 7.82 (KCl) for pit and drum biochar respectively. Electrical conductivity (Ec) of drum biochar was 199 mS /m and that of pit biochar 186 mS /m. Generally, there were no differences in the chemical compositions of the two biochar types. However, in most analysis drum biochar gave higher values in nutrient composition compared to the pit biochar. Moreover, according to SEM analysis both biochar materials consisted of an increase in pore size distribution compared to the original feedstock material. In addition, an increase in nutrient composition in the two biochar types compared to the original feedstock was also observed. In an incubation experiment, potential effects of the two maize biochar types derived from the pit and drum kiln pyrolytic systems on soil acidity and nutrients were investigated on three arable soil types of the EC Province. Three soil types investigated were obtained from the University of Fort Hare (UFH), Phandulwazi (PND) and Msobomvu (MSV). The UFH soil was a sandy loam of the Oakleaf form or Eutric Cambisol, the PND soil was a sandy loam over sandy clay a Haplic Luvisol, while the MSV soil was a clay loam of Westleigh form a Ferric luvisol. Both maize biochar types significantly (p< 0.05) increased soil pH of the three soil types in the incubation study from an average of 4.68- 7.5. Soil pH improvement was in the following order pit biochar> drum biochar> control. Also, the two maize biochar types significantly (p< 0.05) increased the release of cations namely Ca, Mg and Na however, some decrease in nutrient concentrations were observed due to increase in pH levels at the later stage of the study. Biochar incorporation increased extractable P release from 30- 40 mg P/kg to an average range of between 120- 160 mg P/kg across all soil types. A glasshouse study was also conducted investigating the effect of different biochar rates of the two maize biochar types used in the previous studies on early maize growth and nutrient uptake, same soil types were used as those in the incubation study. Biochar was applied at application rates of 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg C/ha of biochar. The glasshouse experiment consisted of two cycles, each with a six week period of monitoring maize seedling growth development. Generally, a significant increase in maize growth parameters such as plant height, stem girth, number of leaves and leaf area increased after biochar additions compared to the control. Both biochars significantly improved maize seedling growth at an application rate of 200 kg C/haHowever, the two biochar types displayed varying impacts on maize growth due to influence of soil type and biochar application rates. Nutrient- uptake of Ca, P, Na and Mg showed to improve at an application rate of 200 kg C/ha for both biochar types showing a 50 percent increase compared to the control. Nutrient- uptake patterns for P, Ca, Mg and Na differed across all soil types, mainly due to changes in pH and Na levels which were influenced by increased biochar concentrations resulting in nutrient deficiency. Another glasshouse experiment aimed at investigating the effects on the two maize biochar types on influencing the effectiveness of both organic and inorganic fertilizers for improved early maize growth and soil productivity. Biochar was applied at an application rate of 400 kg C/ha of biochar, fertilizer was applied at application rates of 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 kg N/ha and manure at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t/ha respectively. The glasshouse experiment consisted of two cycles, each with a six week period of monitoring maize seedling growth development. In the 1st cycle, manure rate of 40 t/ha resulted in the highest plant height of maize seedlings grown in the glasshouse, biochar type also showed to influence plant height. After the 1st harvest Mg, K and P levels improved at 30 t/ha, Na at 20 t/ha and Ca 40 t/ha of manure. Plant height and stem girth improved at 30 kg N/ha of fertilizer, however, nutrient levels for Ca, K and Mg decreased after the 1st harvest, while Na levels increased. Nutrient uptake was the highest for Mg and Na at 40 kg N/ha while for Ca at 30 kg N/ha of fertilizer. During the 2nd cycle plant height was the highest at 30 t/ha of manure, and effect of manure rate was significant (p<0.05) for number of leaves, plant height and biomass. Whereas, manure rate and biochar type effect were insignificant (p>0.05) for pH, Ec and nutrient uptake changes. Maize seedling showed significant response to fertilizer 40 kg N/ha for most of the growth parameters measured (P<0.05), except for germination percentage. All treatments investigated had no effect on germination percentage. The two biochar types showed significant (p<0.05) effects on soil pH and Ec. Drum biochar was slightly better performing than pit biochar. Results obtained from the various studies suggests that maize biochars derived from the pit and drum pyrolytic systems are potential soil amendments in correcting soil acidity and nutrient deficiency in the EC Province. Both biochar types have shown abilities to improve early maize growth and effectiveness of fertilizers in maize based systems of the EC Province. However, some variations in soil fertility and early maize growth were observed as a result of the soil type response towards the two biochar applications. This could also have risen as a result of a number of factors such as the nutritional composition of biochar material, initial soil type chemical composition, biochar and fertilizer application rates and time taken or period to complete each study. Therefore, further experiments should be conducted to validate these results, preferable having longer periods of study, moreover, field experiments. In addition, investigations on potential feedstock materials such as animal wastes used as biochar in the EC Province can be conducted.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

Ecosystem services in a biosphere reserve context: identification, mapping and valuation

  • Authors: Ntshane, Basane Claire
  • Date: 2017
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/4536 , vital:20686
  • Description: Despite their contribution to human well-being, ecosystem services (ES) are being destroyed by anthropogenic activities, taken for granted and often compromised during land use decision making. The question that often arises is, what value do ES have compared to other undertakings that are economically robust, such as mining? The vision of the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) was a world in which natural assets (including ES) are appreciated and integrated into decision-making. The biodiversity strategy of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) also concerns the integration of natural assets into decision making. Responding to challenges facing ES and their mainstreaming into decision-making has been constrained by lack of data and requires new tools and approaches. Integrating natural assets into decision-making is very important for South Africa (SA), where ES have been a crucial part of human systems for decades, and also because of the country’s commitment to the implementation of the CBD's biodiversity strategy. With the aim of incorporating ES into decision-making in an integrated way, this study was conducted in two biosphere reserves (BRs), Vhembe and Waterberg, in Limpopo Province, SA. The aims of the study were the identification, mapping and valuation of ES following an integrated approach. In order to achieve these aims, the study attempted to address four key objectives: (1) to assess and evaluate the status of mapping and valuation of ES in SA, (2) to identify and quantify ES and their indicators, (3) to investigate and analyse the impact of land use/cover (LU/LC) change to ES and (4) to conduct valuation of selected ES. Two separate literature reviews were undertaken to assess and evaluate the status of mapping and valuation of ES in SA, thus addressing study objective 1. Both reviews detected a significant research gap with regard to mapping and valuation of supporting services in SA. To identify ES and indicators provided by the two BRs and to assess the impact of LU/LC change and its effect on ES, a participatory scenario planning process was conducted under three different scenarios, namely ecological development, social development and economic development. It became clear that LU issues were diverse in nature and affected ES in a number of ways and that there were always trade-offs in the choice of LU. For example, yields of ES were best in the ecological development scenario and were affected negatively, together with agricultural commodity production, in the social development and economic development scenarios. A mapping exercise was undertaken to illustrate the spatial distribution of ES supply and demand, involving five ES and 15 indicators using existing datasets and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) mapping tool, again addressing objective 2 of the study. Carbon storage and habitat quality were assessed, modelled and quantified and their values provided in biophysical terms using InVEST modelling tools, thus addressing objective 4 of the study. High quantities of carbon storage and high habitat quality were recorded in natural areas and low quantities were recorded in managed systems (cultivated, urban and plantation areas). InVEST was again applied to conduct an economic valuation of two provisioning ES, timber and firewood, by determining their net present values, attempting to address objective 4 of the study. Results revealed that, at 12% discount rate, the net present value (NPV) for timber production accounted for R23 317/ha in VBR and R57 304/ha in WBR. However, at lower discount rates (4 and 7%), the NPVs for timber were negative in VBR and positive in WBR. With regard to firewood production, the NPVs were negative against all three discount rates in both study areas. I conclude by proposing a four-step integrated approach that can aid the successful incorporation of ES into decision-making: (1) maintain a balance between the social, economic and ecological aspects when making decisions on ES, (2) strive for an evidence- based approach to decision-making (use quantities and values), (3) apply integrated approaches (methods and techniques) to quantification and valuation, and (4) communicate all steps along the way. The results of this study will serve as a baseline for integration of ES into decision-making in SA.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2017

Expand public works program on infrastructure : lessons from international public works programs 1920'S - 1950'S and 2004-2016

  • Authors: Zuma, Siziwe Monica
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Public works--South Africa Labor--South Africa Job creation--South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , Public Administration
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10353/16102 , vital:40664
  • Description: The Expanded Public Works Program on Infrastructure is a national program by the South African Government. It is intending to build and maintain public assets using labour intensive mechanisms. It seeks to offer short term employment and training to the labour participants so that when they exit they may be able to find employment. The program also has an economic sector program of the infrastructure sector called Vuk‘uphile for development of emerging contractors also it is a national program. The Expanded Public Works Program is the government main instrument to job creation in South Africa. Government also seeks to pursue policies that are pro-growth, with the hope that the economic growth will absorbed the unemployed into employment. It is also looking into the small business sector to be the main driver for job creation. Despite this the government‘s commitment, the unemployment rate and poverty rate are increasing and the economy is declining. The study sought to examine if the skills obtained by the participants in the Expanded Public Works Program enable the participants to obtain employment upon exiting the program. It also sought to find any challenges the participants encounter before and after living the program. It sought to look at other international public works programs and theories on public works to learn any lessons. I also sought to study if the program cannot be expanded into for it to create more sustainable employment for the enterprises and the labour participants in order to lengthen the period of work experience skills training, reduce the incidents of poverty and stimulate economic growth. This study followed a literature review methodology, using second source data from various literatures, empirical and non-empirical second source literature. The findings indicate that the skills and the duration of the training are not sufficient for the labour participants to be absorbed by the labour force. The short duration of working in the program is too short to make a meaningful income and work experience that can be sustainable. Upon exiting the program they cannot find employment a large majority of them. The program offered in the Zibambele in KwaZulu Natal offers work on a part time basis for the maintenance of roads over a longer period that acts as a safety net. The program is only in KwaZulu Natal and only on road maintenance; it is not big enough to make a meaningful difference to the amount of unemployment in the country. The Vuk‘uphile program however is offering good skills to the emerging contractor that enables their companies to grow. The international public works programs have been instrumental in creating employment to millions of participants and reduced incidents of poverty. The expanded public works program on infrastructure can be expanded to include asset management, maintenance and can expand to rural infrastructure and development and agricultural infrastructure. The study recommends that the government considers expanding the expanded public works program on infrastructure so that it can provide longer and more sustainable employment to labor participants and entrepreneurs. Also that it considers using the model used to develop emerging contractors in the Vuk‘uphile program to develop small medium businesses in the infrastructure and other areas.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2016

The impact of HIV and AIDS on household food security and food acquisition strategies in South Africa

  • Authors: Kaschula, S A H
  • Date: 2009
  • Subjects: Food security -- South Africa Food supply -- South Africa AIDS (Disease) -- Social aspects -- South Africa HIV infections -- Social aspects -- South Africa Chronically ill -- Economic conditions -- South Africa Chronically ill -- Social conditions -- South Africa Food -- Social aspects -- South Africa Food -- Economic aspects -- South Africa Rural development -- South Africa
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:4754 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007137
  • Description: How should the impact of HIV and AIDS on rural livelihoods be factored into efforts to monitor and stabilise household food security? With both HIV and AIDS and food security at the top of the global development agenda, this is a question posed by many scholars, practitioners, donor agencies and government departments. However, while there is an excess of discourse outlining the theoretical bases for how HIV and AIDS can, and is, radically transforming household food acquisition; there is a lack of empirical evidence from the South African context that demonstrates if, and how, HIV and AIDS changes household-level strategies of food acquisition and intake. This thesis explores the association of household-level mortality, chronic illness and additional child-dependent fostering with household experience of food security and food acquisition strategies, in three rural villages in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal Provinces of South Africa. Qualitative and quantitative methods of data-collection were applied to 307 households in the three sites. For twelve months, both HIV and AIDS-afflicted and non-afflicted households were repeatedly visited at 3-month intervals, in order to be assessed for levels of food security, dietary intake and method of food procurement (purchased, cultivated, wild or donated). Overall, HIV and AIDS-afflicted households showed a significantly higher experience of food insecurity, probably attributable to shortages in food quantity. Dietary composition and overall diversity, however, was not significantly different. Although households with chronic illness and recent mortality showed a heightened investment in cultivation sources, the success of these strategies were to a great extent mediated by household income, and the level of medical treatment received by those who were chronically ill. Chronic illness was also associated with more donations, but these required considerable investments in social capital networks. Finally, use of wild leafy vegetables was not associated with household HIV and AIDS status, despite the financial, nutritional and labour-saving properties of these foods. Overall, the study suggests that there was little evidence of long-term planning and strategy in household food security responses. There was no evidence for shifts to labour-saving crops or foods and, in some instances, child labour was being used to ameliorate prime-adult labour deficits. Moreover, given that the vast majority (89.2%) of food groups were sourced through purchase, it is questionable whether investing in diverse food acquisition strategies would be advisable. Unless supported by medical treatment and steady earned household income, policies to promote intensified household agricultural subsistence production in the wake of HIV and AIDS are unlikely to provide households with anything more than short-term safety-nets, rather than long-term, sustainable food security solutions.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2009

Passing the spear : a grounded theory study of the influence of family business value sets on succession planning in black family-owned businesses

  • Authors: Musengi, Sandra
  • Date: 2007
  • Subjects: Grounded theory Family-owned business enterprises Family-owned business enterprises -- Succession Family-owned business enterprises -- Management Business enterprises, Black Business planning
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:1192 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007056
  • Description: Literature suggests that a small number of family businesses are able to make the transition from the founder to other family members with a common reason cited being the lack of planning. This study aims to build understanding of leadership succession in family businesses by focusing on the influence of a founder's family business value set on the succession planning process in Black family-owned businesses. Using the Strauss and Corbin (1990) grounded theory method, this study develops a theory of succession planning of Black familyowned businesses labelled Passing the Spear which is comprised of three stages based on an analysis of 21 qualitative interviews. The Spear was an analogy used to represent both the values of the founder and the family business, thus in Passing the Spear, founders where essentially performing a dual transfer of their values and leadership to the successor. The implementation of the process Passing the Spear was influenced by the family business value set of the founder, which in this study, were labelled as Traditional, Progressive, and Transitional. These value sets were distinguished by their behaviour regarding their choice of successor where founders with a traditional value set exhibited gatekeeping behaviour, while the behaviour of founders with a progressive value set was labelled navigating, and finally, founders with a transitional value set demonstrated behaviour labelled exploring. Furthermore, it was found that after the successor had been chosen, founders appeared to follow a generic succession planning process, however, the ease and timing of implementation was influenced by the family business context, evidence of being proactive and the degree of family business resilience. The process of Passing the Spear comprised of three stages of (a) Showing the spear where the founder's focus is on the induction and socialization of the successor using the strategies of bringing the successor into the family business and managing the family-business interface using relationships; (b) Explaining the spear entailed founders using the strategies of sharing knowledge and teaching the successors about the family business; and ( c) Sharing the spear was where founders focused on empowering the successors by implementing strategies of sharing responsibilities and learning from the successor.The process provides insights into the influence of family business values on the succession planning process and can be useful for founders of Black family-owned businesses in planning for succession in their businesses. In addition, the study provides another perspective of succession planning and offers a contribution to the literature for understanding succession in Black family-owned businesses.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2007

Elucidation and manipulation of the Hydantoin-Hydrolysing Enzyme System of Agrobacterium tumefaciens RU-OR for the Biocatalytic production of D-amino acids

  • Authors: Hartley, Carol Janet
  • Date: 2002
  • Subjects: Amino acids Agrobacterium tumefaciens
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:3916 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003975
  • Description: There is widespread interest in the biocatalytic production of enantiomerically pure D-amino acids for use in the synthesis of antibiotics, insecticides, herbicides, drug carriers and many other pharmaceuticals. Hydantoin-hydrolysing enzyme systems can be successfully utilised to stereoselectively convert racemic hydantoins into enantiomerically pure amino acid products. In fact, the use of microbial D-hydantoinase and D-stereoselective N-carbamoyl amino acid amidohydrolase activity to produce D-p-hydroxyphenylglycine from D,L-5-phydroxyphenylhydantoin has been described as one of the most successful biotechnological applications of enzyme technology developed to date. A need to utilise the novel biodiversity of South African microorganisms for the development of an indigenous process to produce enantiomerically pure amino acids was identified in 1995. Subsequently, the Rhodes Hydantoinase Group was established and several local hydantoin-hydrolysing microorganisms were isolated. The research in this study describes the isolation and selection of Agrobacterium tumefaciens RU-OR, which produced D-stereoselective hydantoinhydrolysing activity. Characterisation of the hydantoin-hydrolysing enzyme system of RU-OR revealed novel biocatalytic properties, and potential for the application of this strain for the biocatalytic production of D-amino acids. A fundamental understanding of the regulation of hydantoin-hydrolysing enzyme activity in A. tumefaciens RU-OR was established, and utilised to produce mutant strains with altered regulation of hydantoin-hydrolysing activity. These strains were used to further elucidate the mechanisms regulating the production of hydantoins-hydrolysing activity in A. tumefaciens RU-OR cells. Overproduction of hydantoinase and N-carbamoyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolase activity in selected mutant strains resulted in efficient conversion of D,L-5-p-hydroxyphenylhydantoin to D-p-hydroxyphenylglycine. Thus the establishment of a primary understanding of the hydantoin-hydrolysing enzyme system in A. tumefaciens RU-OR could be used to manipulate the hydantoin-hydrolysing activity in RU-OR cells to produce an improved biocatalyst. The isolation of A. tumfecaiens RU-OR genes encoding for hydantoin-hydrolysing activity revealed two separate N-carbamoyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolaseencoding genes (ncaR1 and ncaR2) in this bacterium with distinct chromosomal locations, nucleotide coding sequence and predicted primary amino acid sequence. The novel biocatalytic properties of the hydantoin-hydrolysing enzyme system in A. tumefaciens RU-OR and mutant derivatives present fascinating opportunities for further elucidation of the natural function, regulation and biocatalytic potential of hydantoin-hydrolysing enzymes.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2002

Designing and making a difference: an exploration of technology education for rural school teachers

  • Authors: Schäfer, Marc
  • Date: 2000
  • Subjects: Technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Technology -- Study and teaching -- South Africa Rural schools -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape Education, Rural -- South Africa Winterberg schools trust
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MEd
  • Identifier: vital:1491 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1003372
  • Description: This qualitative study focused on a Technology Education programme for farm school teachers in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. These teachers were faced with the challenge of incorporating Technology Education into their curriculum. The study was conducted within the context of an investigation into the conceptual nature of technology and an exploration of the theoretical underpinnings of Technology Education within both the international and South African context. Technology Education is being introduced into the South African curriculum against a background of educational transformation and the building of capacity to solve real life problems. This calls for a curriculum that will empower learners to be innovative, creative and skilled problem solvers. The introduction and incorporation of Technoiogy Education into the school curriculum poses a formidable challenge to farm schools in particular. Their unique history of neglect and legacy of underqualified teachers has made the introduction of any curriculum innovation process very difficult and challenging. This study analyses how an introductory Technology Education programme for farm school teachers in the Winterberg area of the Eastern Cape impacted~ on the teachers' professional and personal lives. It shows the importance of developing teclpological skills in conjunction with life skills in cO.ntributing to the empowerment, both in the work place and in the wider context, of rural school teachers. It highlights the need for supportive in-service education programmes and strengthens the argument for an integrative and mulitidisciplinary approach to the introduction of Technology Education in farm schools. Data was collected by means of questionnaires, interviews and photographs.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 2000

Les aspects metephysiques du theatre de Ionesco

  • Authors: Thomas, David Croft
  • Date: 1986
  • Subjects: Ionesco, Eugène -- Criticism and interpretation
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
  • Identifier: vital:3610 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004534 , Ionesco, Eugène -- Criticism and interpretation
  • Description: From Introduction: Au cours d'une interview accordée à deux critiques littéraires, le 9 novembre 1976 , Ionesco déclare : Un retour à la métaphysique me semble, à notré epoque, indispensable. Ce point de vue nous semble être d'une importance fondamentale, tant par la référence à un probleme spécifiquement moderne, que par la formulation d'une profonde préoccupation de l'auteur. Ionesco résume par là un débat qui informe continuellement son oeuvre théàtrale. Ce débat, et cette quête, sont les thèmes essentiels que nous voudrions mettre à jour dans cette oeuvre . Nous proposons donc d'étudier le désir et l'effort que manifeste et que tente l ' homme moderne, imbu d'une culture matérialiste, laïque et profane, pour retrouver la vie spirituelle de ses ancêtres son aspiration à la connaissance du sacré . Ce sujet, aussi vaste qu'il est élémentaire, exige l'examen de l'oeuvre complàte afin d'en dégager les constantes.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 1986

Examination of the theological education of Africans in the Presbyterian, Methodist, Congregational and Anglican churches in South Africa from 1860 to 1960

  • Authors: Gqubule, T Simon N
  • Date: 1977
  • Subjects: Theological -- Study and teaching Theological seminaries -- South Africa Theology -- Study and teaching -- Protestant churches
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:1254 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012082
  • Description: This is in many ways a limited study. The first limitation is that only four denominations, the Anglican, Congregational, Methodist, Presbyterian, are considered and nothing is said about the work of the Moravians, Lutherans, Roman Catholics and the Dutch Reformed Churches in the field of theological education. The second limitation is that it is a study of theological education as distinct from general, industrial and other forms of education. All the forms of theological education considered here were run at missionary institutions that offered other forms of education and prepared their students for public government examinations with certain government conditions to be met. Moreover, a certain standard of general education was required before candidates were admitted to the theological course. Therefore, theological education was constantly dependent upon and was influenced by secular education and government regulations concerning secular education. For that reason the first chapter is a very brief survey of White Education in the Cape and African education in all four provinces from the beginning to 1915, the year before Fort Hare opened its doors to students seeking 'higher' education. The second chapter discusses the educational programme of Lovedale because Lovedale generally determined the whole of African education in the Cape. When Lovedale and the Methodists transferred their training to the South African Native College at Fort Hare, theological students had to abide by educational and other regulations of the university College. Chapters III and IV deal with the Methodist theological schools and the courses followed at Fort Hare. The third limitation of this study is that it is a study of the theological education of Africans, which category includes Coloureds and Indians because in the four churches under review they were trained together with Africans. In all churches under review here the theological education of whites was done in an unsatisfactory and ad hoc way. Many men were ordained without a satisfactory theological education. They were given some training by their superintendents, bishops or other men appointed to do the job in addition to their own normal duties. A few were sent overseas and many went through some arrangement within this country. St Paul's Theological College for Anglicans was opened in 1902. A start was made with the training of white Methodist Candidates for the ministry in the buildings of the Wesleyan High School for Girls in Grahamstown, in July 1928, under the Rev. James Pendlebury, B.A. (a supernumerary). Dr. William Flint who started the Methodist College as Principal, at Bollihope, Cape Town, in 1929, was seventy-five years of age when he opened the new Sbllege. From 1948 white theological students of the Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational Churches have been trained at Livingstone House, Rhodes University, Grahamstown. .The final limitation is that this study ends at the close of 1960 and thus omits some of the exciting developments in theological education that have taken place since then. These limitations and demarcations were, however, necessary in order to focus attention on a small area where the main problems could be seen clearly, unencumbered by lesser issues. Where the training was run on denominational lines, it seemed necessary wherever possible to give a chapter to each denomination, and to attempt to pull the threads together in a concluding chapter.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 1977

A petrological and mineralogical study of peridotite and eclogite xenoliths from certain kimberlite pipes

  • Authors: Whitfield, Gavin
  • Date: 1972
  • Subjects: Petrology Peridotite Mineralogy Kimberlite Igneous rocks -- Inclusions Eclogite
  • Language: English
  • Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
  • Identifier: vital:5044 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1007690
  • Description: Kimberlite, an ultrabasic diamond-bearing hypabyssal rock-type which has its origin in the Earth's upper mantle, characteristically contains rare, well-rounded xenoliths of peridotite and eclogite. These xenoliths, which undoubtedly originate from some considerable depth below the Earth's surface, possibly represent samples of upper mantle material. They have received much attention from earth scientists and numerous theories as to their origin have been proposed. Forty-two selected peridotite xenoliths from the Bultfontein, Wesselton, Dutoitspan and Roberts Victor kimberlite pipes of the Kimberley area, South Africa, and 24 eclogite xenoliths from the Roberts Victor pipe have been examined in detail using a variety of petrological and mineralogical techniques. The petrologic research comprises conventional petrographic studies, the determination of accurate modal compositions and the presentation of 22 new whole-rock chemical analyses, nine of which are of garnet peridotite, four of spinel peridotite and nine of eclogite, one being a diamondiferous specimen. Detailed mineralogical studies of the constituent minerals of the xenoliths comprises descriptive mineralogy, in most cases an estimation of the compositions of these minerals from the measurement of physical properties, X-ray powder diffraction data and the presentation of 21 new chemical analyses of pure mineral separates. This includes five analyses of clivine, five of orthopyroxene, eight of garnet, one of chrome diopside and two of omphacite. The results of the investigation have shown that the peridotites consist essentially of forsterite and enstatite with minor or trace amounts of one or more of pyrope-rich garnet, chrome diopside, chrome spinel, phlogopite and rarely graphite, and often exhibit features consistent with plastic movement and tectonic deformation. The peridotites are believed to be derived from an ultrabasic upper mantle, which is both chemioally and physically zoned. The eclogite xenoliths, which are composed mainly of pyrope-almandine garnet and omphacitic clinopyroxene and occasionally contain kyanite, corundum and diamond, are not samples of a primary eclogitic upper mantle nor the products of an eclogite fractionation related to kimberlite genesis. Chemically they are not typical of extrusive basalts and probably either represent pockets of partially fractionated basic magma trapped at mantle-level in an eclogite-stable environment or samples of high-grade crustal metamorphic eclogite accidentally incorporated into the Roberts Victor kimberlite.
  • Full Text:
  • Date Issued: 1972
  • 1
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Contact